Fair Value of Financial Instruments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Note 5 – Fair Value of Financial Instruments

ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements, states that fair value is an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or a liability. The three-tiered fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes which inputs should be used in measuring fair value, is comprised of: (Level I) observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets; (Level II) inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are observable either directly or indirectly and (Level III) unobservable inputs for which there is little or no market data. The fair value hierarchy requires the use of observable market data when available in determining fair value. Our assets and liabilities that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis were as follows (in thousands):

	March 31, 2017								December 31, 2016
	Fair Value		Level I		Level II		Level III		Fair Value		Level I		Level II		Level III
Money market funds	$	2,727,155	$	2,727,155	$	—	$	—	$	2,226,322	$	2,226,322	$	—	$	—
Interest rate swaps		1,022		—		1,022		—		1,490		—		1,490		—
Total	$	2,728,177	$	2,727,155	$	1,022	$	—	$	2,227,812	$	2,226,322	$	1,490	$	—

All of our cash equivalents and short-term marketable securities were classified within Level I of the fair value hierarchy because they were valued using quoted prices in active markets. Our interest rate swaps were classified within Level II of the fair value hierarchy because they were valued using alternative pricing sources or models that utilized market observable inputs, including current and forward interest rates. During the three months ended March 31, 2017, there were no transfers between the levels of the fair value hierarchy.

Interest Rate Swaps

We enter into fixed-for-floating interest rate swap agreements to swap variable interest payments on certain debt for fixed interest payments, as required by certain of our lenders. We do not designate our interest rate swaps as hedging instruments. Accordingly, our interest rate swaps are recorded at fair value on the consolidated balance sheets within other assets or other long-term liabilities, with any changes in their fair values recognized as other income (expense), net, in the consolidated statements of operations and with any cash flows recognized as investing activities in the consolidated statements of cash flows. Our interest rate swaps outstanding were as follows (in thousands):

							Three Months Ended March 31, 2017
	Aggregate Notional Amount		Gross Asset at Fair Value		Gross Liability at Fair Value		Gross Gains		Gross Losses
Interest rate swaps	$	754,591	$	8,953	$	9,975	$	688	$	1,250

Disclosure of Fair Values

Our financial instruments that are not re-measured at fair value include accounts receivable, customer notes receivable, rebates receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, customer deposits, convertible senior notes, the participation interest, solar asset-backed notes, solar loan-backed notes, Solar Bonds and long-term debt. The carrying values of these financial instruments other than customer notes receivable, convertible senior notes, the participation interest, solar asset-backed notes, Solar Bonds and long-term debt approximated their fair values.

We estimate the fair value of convertible senior notes using commonly accepted valuation methodologies and market-based risk measurements that are indirectly observable, such as credit risk (Level II). In addition, we estimate the fair value of customer notes receivable, the participation interest, solar asset-backed notes, solar loan-backed notes and Solar Bonds based on rates currently offered for instruments with similar maturities and terms (Level III). The following table presents the estimated fair values and the carrying values (in thousands):

	March 31,2017				December 31, 2016
	Carrying Value		Fair Value		Carrying Value		Fair Value
MyPower customer notes receivable	$	492,627	$	492,627	$	513,002	$	513,002
Convertible senior notes		3,801,009		4,570,495		2,957,288		3,205,641
Participation interest		17,055		17,322		16,713		15,025
Solar asset-backed notes		434,829		436,896		442,764		428,551
Solar loan-backed notes		268,021		278,770		137,024		132,129

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

+ References + Details